The present invention relates to sales packaging for consumer products that involve relative motion of one or more of their component parts. More particularly, this invention relates to a device and a method for effecting relative motion of a component part of a consumer product within a closed sales display package. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a device and a method for demonstrably effecting longitudinal motion of the handle of a toothbrush relative to the head of a toothbrush having rotatable bristles for the purpose of rotating the bristles in view of a consumer, while the toothbrush is encased within a sealed sales display package.
It is common in the retail business, particularly in the toy and consumer products industries, to display saleable products such that the actual operation of the products can be demonstrated to the consumer. In this way, because the consumer is able to actually operate the product or toy prior to purchase, purchaser awareness and satisfaction are increased. However, due to the fragility of complex consumer products, frequent handling and trial usage by consumers often leads to damage or deterioration of display products. Also, open display of unpackaged products increases the risk of shoplifting of the consumer products that are on display. Therefore, many retailers are loathe to display unpackaged or unsecured products.
Retailers often instead prefer to display products within closed sales display packages in order to avoid deterioration and breakage of the products due to rough trial usage and in order to avoid theft and shoplifting of the loose products. Unfortunately, display of a product within a closed sales display package often does not allow relative motion of the components of that product to be demonstrated to the consumer.
One type of consumer product or toy that may be operable from outside a closed sales display package is one that is electrically operated. Operating the product from outside the closed sales package is often accomplished by situating an electrical contact or an activation button on the surface of the device adjacent the deformable packaging. When the item is packaged within a closed sales display package, the deformable packaging is situated such that an interested consumer can operate the device by pressing the activation button through the deformable display package and completing a circuit.
An example of an electrically-operated toy that is operable by pressing an activation button through the display package is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,025. This type of toy typically involves a tiny bulb that is lit up or involves some other activation device with electrical components. Unfortunately, however, electrically operated toys often do not possess the type of visibly movable component parts that allow a consumer to actually see the operation of the device, and the consumer thus does not get the satisfaction of watching the components move.
Other types of consumer products or toys that may be operated from outside a closed sales display package are mechanical products that utilize a means for activating the product, which means extends partially outside the package. For example, talking toys are operable by way of a pull string that extends outside of the otherwise-closed sales display package allowing a consumer to demonstrate the speech mechanisms of the toy without opening the sales display package. Similarly, a sales display package that includes a pivoted lever assembly having one portion extending outside the package and another portion inside the package enables a consumer to activate a switch within the package by actuating the exterior lever portion, causing the interior lever portion to activate the switch and thereby operate the device. An example of an external lever-operated device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,222. Again, however, the movable components of the products displayed in these packages are situated within the product and their movements are not visible to a consumer. Thus, pulling a pull string or activating a switch through a lever will not give the consumer the satisfaction of watching the components move. Moreover, because these actuation devices extend partially outside the display packages, the packages must be open in some manner, leaving them more susceptible to shoplifting, breakage or deterioration from moisture.
Various mechanical consumer products that have visibly, mechanically movable components are sold in closed sales display packages. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,120,225 and 5,186,627 disclose a hand-actuated toothbrush with rotatable bristles, in which a group of bristles mounted within the toothbrush head is connected to a movable handle by way of a rack and pinion within the base of the head, such that longitudinal reciprocation of the handle causes the group of bristles to be rotated in response. Unfortunately, consumers have no way of viewing the mechanical motion of the component parts of the rotatable toothbrush or of other consumer products while the products are within the closed sales display packages because there is no mechanism or device for visibly demonstrating to a consumer the mechanical motion of components of a device that is within a closed sales display package.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a device and a method for visibly effecting relative motion of movable components of a consumer product encapsulated within a sealed sales display package.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device that visibly effects linear motion of an elongated object that is encapsulated within a closed sales display package.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device that visibly effects the longitudinal motion of the handle of the hand-activated rotatable toothbrush disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,120,225 and 5,186,627 such that the rotatable group of bristles rotates in response, while the toothbrush is encapsulated within a closed sales display package.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent in the discussion below.